Amsterdam to have new 3D printed stainless steel bridge

Additive manufacturing company MX3D is 3D printing stainless steel bridge to cross one of the oldest and most famous canals in the centre of Amsterdam, the Oudezijds Achterburgwal.

Gemeente Amsterdam is MX3D’s collaborative bridge building department’s first customer.

The company equips typical industrial robots with purpose-built tools and develops the software to control them. The approach allows the company to 3D print strong, complex and graceful structures out of metal.

The goal of the MX3D Bridge project is to showcase the potential applications of the firm’s multi-axis 3D printing technology.

The Bridge is designed by Joris Laarman Lab, with Arup as the lead structural engineer, and ArcelorMittal providing the metallurgical expertise. Other partners on the project are: ABB, robotics specialist; Autodesk, for knowledge on digital production tools; Heijmans, construction expert; Lenovo, computational hardware; , Air Liquide & Oerlikon, welding; Plymovent, ventilation; and AMS and TU Delft, research.